ESPN talks to Scout X

ESPN reports various musings from Scout X, a big-league scout with a couple of interesting considerations for the 2010 season. Among them:

He thinks Matt Cain has a better six- to eight-year outlook than Tim Lincecum.

He also likes Phil Hughes over Joba Chamberlain for Yankees fifth starter.

Nothing else really stands out.

Fantasy Impact: It's becoming fairly typical for those doubting the diminutive Lincecum and his unique pitching rotation. We still find the best analysis of his mechanics to be much less of an indictment than what the doubters are saying.

Hughes vs. Chamberlain is certainly a tossup. Neither is a good fantasy option due to their low sample size and MLB inconsistency, but they both deserve flier picks due to playing for the Yankess.

Reyes HGH concerns

Jose Reyes got a visit from the FBI regarding a doctor he worked with in connection with HGH.

“They asked me if he inject me with that, I said no,” Reyes said. “What we do there is basically is he took my blood out, put in some machine, spit it out and put it back into my leg.”

He was referring to a procedure that was intended to help him recover from a hamstring injury.

Reyes said that he met with the authorities for less than an hour and that he was surprised they wanted to meet with him.

“They called me in the morning and said they wanted to meet me,” Reyes said. “I mean, they said this is the F.B.I., and I said, man, what did I do wrong. I was kind of surprised a little, scared, but after that, they said should be no problem with me, it’s just an investigation. Right now I don’t worry because he don’t put nothing like that in my body. I know what he was doing with me, so I don’t have to worry about that because I know I’m fine.”

Fantasy Impact: It would not appear that Reyes is in much trouble, especially if the FBI actually told him there's not a problem. He remains the third best option at shortstop in fantasy baseball after Hanley Ramirez and Troy Tulowitzki. He has the opportunity to place as high as second if healthy.

Gutierrez could be D'backs future closer

The Arizona Diamondbacks like what they've seen from setup man Juan Gutierrez to the point that he might end up Arizona's closer next season. Chad Qualls is the incumbent in 2010.

Gutierrez's performance last year validated GM Josh Byrnes decision to trade former closer Jose Valverde to the Astros after the 2007 season for Gutierrez, Qualls and infielder Chris Burke. While Burke was a bust, Qualls has put together two good seasons and Gutierrez could conceivably slip into the closer's role if Qualls departs as a free agent following 2010.

"He's always had plus stuff, very solid delivery and arm action and multiple pitches," Byrnes said. "He has a lot of pieces in place to be successful. You hoped it would translate, and now that he's had success, he can build off that."

Which is exactly what Gutierrez is trying to do.

"I learned more about how to pitch last year," he said. "I learned how to control your emotions. When you have a bad day you've got to forget about it. You have to say this is a new day and I'm going to show the world what I have."

Fantasy Impact: There's a chance Gutierrez earns the job even sooner than 2011. Consider that Qualls is coming back off a serious injury sustained late in 2010, so he's not necessarily in baseball shape going into the year. Then, there's the chance that the Diamondbacks, who won't be picked any higher than third in the NL West this year, could be sellers come July. If Qualls is moved to a contending team, Gutierrez could be in line for as many as 15-20 saves over the latter half of the season. The D'backs bullpen is definitely one to monitor all summer long.

Brian Roberts' bad back

Brian Robers is still hopeful to be ready for opening day, but the Orioles second baseman's health is in question after revealing he was diagnosed with a herniated disc this offseason.

"I'm not a doctor, so I don't know the repercussions of what certain things are, but, yeah, I think anytime you hear 'disk' and you hear 'back,' it's certainly frightening," Roberts said after doing a light workout. "We tried to do our due diligence and be seen by the right people and get the right advice. I think we did that, and now we're moving forward. It's going to be a little slow probably at the beginning, but it shouldn't set me back hopefully for [Opening Day] on April 6."

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said the club isn't concerned because Roberts has already responded well to medication and treatment.

Head athletic trainer Richie Bancells "has explained it to me that these are things that 90 percent of the time resolve themselves," MacPhail said. "As long as the symptoms keep improving, which they have with Brian, there really isn't anything for us to be alarmed about. We have a lot of time. We have six weeks. The position players aren't the same as pitchers in terms of getting ready, so there really isn't any concern amongst our group."

Then again, Roberts isn't your typical position player. Spring training will tell if Roberts can handle the demands of second base and still put together a productive offensive game that includes stealing bases.

Fantasy Impact: Roberts may say he can go, and the Orioles might be hopeful that he'll play to his all-star calibur, but fantasy owners should take note. We assume Roberts will drop from his standing as one of the top options off the board in a fantasy draft. Here's our second base rankings before and after learning of Roberts' bad back:

Before:
Chase Utley
Ian Kinsler
Aaron Hill
Dustin Pedroia
Ben Zobrist
Robinson Cano
Brian Roberts
Gordon Beckham
Brandon Phillips
Dan Uggla

After:
Chase Utley
Ian Kinsler
Aaron Hill
Dustin Pedroia
Ben Zobrist
Robinson Cano
Gordon Beckham
Brandon Phillips
Dan Uggla
Brian Roberts
Jose Lopez
Rickie Weeks
Martin Prado

We now slot Roberts as the 10th most productive second baseman after Brandon Phillips and Dan Uggla and just ahead of the versatile Jose Lopez. Roberts has two things against him now - he's 32, meaning his best days (especially as a player whose game is predicated on speed) are beginning to get behind him, and he's dealing with an injury. We'll take guaranteed production from Phillips' and Uggla's potent bats over a guy with a probable bad back who needs his body in optimal shape to produce.

Rodney doesn't want Fuentes' hectic job

Fernando Rodney is saying the right things after joining the Los Angeles Angels. He's not interested in Brian Fuentes' closing job, the one Fuentes says is supposed to be difficult.

Fuentes admits he gave fans reason to be nervous and says his performance last year was "probably not as strong" as he would like.

"I could have been more consistent," Fuentes said. "It's definitely not easy to close out a game but I definitely think I shouldn't have had as low a percentage as I did. I'd like to have had fewer blown saves and been more consistent."

It might have helped if Fuentes had been able to throw a little harder. Early last season, it was obvious his velocity was down, an occurrence that Angels manager Mike Scioscia dismissed as fairly typical for Fuentes and something that would pass as the season went on.

It never did.

"I don't think it ever really came around," Fuentes said, an opinion that is backed up by the numbers.

A study by www.fangraphs.com pegged Fuentes' average fastball in 2009 as being down 1.6 miles per hour from 2008 (when he averaged 92.5 mph) though Fuentes referred to a 4 mph drop. It was one of the biggest drops in baseball last season.

Fuentes says he's not worried so much about his velocity. Mike Scioscia says Fuentes is the man at closer.

Fantasy Impact: We're not so worried about Fuentes losing his job to Fernando Rodney. We'd be just as concerend for him to lose it to Scot Shields, who may prove to be the most productive member of the Angels' relief staff. Fuentes may have job security now, but that's because he hasn't yet thrown a pitch. We expect another rocky road for him late in games in 2010. Velocity is not something 35-year-old pitchers find to improve.

Jenks in shape

White Sox closer Bobby Jenks credits better living in general as the reason for his shaping up for spring training.

"It was a lot of things," said the 6-foot-4 Jenks, who weighed in Sunday at 275 pounds. "Not drinking helps. But really it was a lifestyle choice I wanted to make -- not just for myself but for my family.

"The drinking part was hard. It was up to me to get motivated. That was the tough part. But once you did, it was easy.''

Jenks said he resumed eating smarter "like I used to.''

Those 275 lbs are not a misprint. That was Jenks listed weight last year, which appeared kind from the growth of his belly over the past couple of years.

Fantasy Impact: Jenks' numbers weren't all that bad last year. With an 8.3 K/9 rate, he posted one of the better strikeout ratios of his career. He still saved plenty of games to start for your fantasy team, and he was never in any real danger of losing his job, although that was speculated in late summer. Jenks was just a bit more hittable. It seemed that he wore down in stretches and left the ball over the plate. A little less body to get in the way and a little more focus should keep him a solud bet as a No. 2 closer. That said, J.J. Putz and others are lurking in potentially the deepest bullpen in baseball.

Damon will bat second, Jackson to lead off

Talk that Johnny Damon might threaten rookie Austin Jackson as Tigers leadoff man should disappear for a while now that Tigers manager Jim Leyland says Damon will start off in the No. 2 spot. That gives Jackson the opportunity to take the top spot and run with it.

Fantasy Impact: There's a reason the Yankees gave up Jackson in pursuit of Curtis Granderson - he's young and hasn't taken a single at bat at the major league level. Not only is he unproven, Jackson's minor league stats don't exactly knock you over. He's good, but he's not off-the-page good. Despite his athletic ability and decent size, Jackson slugged just .405 at Triple-A last season. To expect any kind of MLB power surge is silly. He's a good base stealer, but strikes out quite a bit (22 percent of the time in Triple-A last season).

At best, this makes Jackson a late-round sleeper pick in fantasy drafts. We may know more by the end of spring, but Jackson needs to show us something at the major league level before we'd be willing to trust him. Think Carlos Gomez. Don't think Andrew McCutchen.

Myers looking to prove Phils wrong

Astros starter Brett Myers reiterates that he'd like to stick it to the Phillies (in a funny way) for leaving him off last year's postseason roster and his eventual release.

"That would be nice. And I'd like to stick it up their rear end. Just because, you know?" he said happily. "It's just the competitive nature. It's my old team. And I want to beat 'em. I think every guy has incentive to beat his former team. It doesn't have anything to do really with the way they treated me or anything like that. They didn't treat me bad at all. It doesn't have anything to do with that. It just has to do with being competitive and trying to kick their rear end just for the sport of it and try to have fun with it."

On the day he was formally introduced at a news conference in Houston he made similar comments. It got back to him that his remarks were not well-received in Philadelphia.

"If anybody takes that wrong I'm sorry, but that's not the way it's supposed to be meant," he said. "It's supposed to be meant that I want to kick their rear end. And they expect that. I told Ruben that. Whoever I sign with after this, if I pitch against y'all, the old movie, "Major League," my favorite one. You take the ball and fire it off the locker and go, 'Every time I pitch against you I'm going to stick it up your bleepin' bleep.' You know?

"I've always wanted to say that to somebody. In a funny way, though. Because I would think they'd know what I was talking about. I thought that would be funny. But evidently they took it the wrong way up there. People were calling me and saying, 'Why did you say bad things about the city of Philly?' I said, 'I never did and I never will.' "

One thing is for certain; someone is definitely going to take his comments the wrong way.

Fantasy Impact: The Astros signed Myers for $3 million this season, which is a great bargain for a guy with his talents. Between Myers and Wandy Rodriguez, two-thirds of the front of Houston's rotation costs $8 million in 2010. That's incredibly good money-wise, but still not that impressive a rotation. Myers owns a 73-63 career record but the 4.40 career ERA is fairly mid-level, and he gives up a lot of home runs. That's not good in Minute Maid Park. We don't expect a ton of success, even if he's motivated. Myers should hover in the average-to-above pile, which leaves him on the back end of most fantasy baseball starting staffs or just off them, on the waiver wire.

Storen headed to minors?

Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman says closer-in-waiting Drew Storen is likely headed for the minors out of spring training.

"Storen did pitch some in the Minor Leagues last year, but we respect the development system and the great staff we have in the Minor Leagues," Riggleman said. "We would probably lean toward starting him down there, but you hear such great things about what he has done -- his delivery, his strike throwing, he has a put-away breaking ball. We are open minded."

Fantasy Impact: We like Storen's makeup, especially his 11.9 K/9. If the Nationals struggle to find a reliable closer at the MLB level he might still be in the mix. Riggleman sounds noncommittal if anything.

Oswalt feeling fine

Roy Oswalt says his back is feeling better this season, and he expects a better effort than his career-worst 2010.

Oswalt, who posted an 8-6 record with career-highs in ERA (4.12) and no-decisions (16), did alter his conditioning routines during the offseason.

He has focused more on core strengthening exercises and less on running, favoring cardio and bike exercises instead.

This year, he also doesn't have to worry about the World Baseball Classic, which is believed to have contributed to Oswalt's back issues.

“I started throwing a little later this year,” Oswalt said . “I don't have to worry about getting some guys out from Japan and Korea.”

Fantasy Impact: He's a former elite fantasy option who hasn't come close to 20 wins or 200 strikeouts since 2005. He has, however, won as many as 17 and 15 games for average to slightly-above average Astros teams in recent seasons. Our bet is on Oswalt to bounce back with around 15 wins and an ERA a few tenths above his 3.23 career mark. He might not be a true strikeout pitcher anymore, but he's still an asset as a third starter on most fantasy teams.

Frank talk on Franklin

The Cardinals are looking at some young pitchers as fallback options for closer Ryan Franklin. The 37-year-old Cardinals closer had a career year in 2009, one we don't expect him to duplicate or even approach. Even Franklin is backing the backup idea.

Franklin, a first-time All-Star last year whose ERA hovered around 1.00 until early September, welcomes the help. He called it a "good idea" and said he just wanted to be part of a winning team.

Fantasy Impact: We're not high on Franklin moving forward, but he's on a good team and he pitched well for the majority of last season. Jason Motte and Mitchell Boggs get mentions in the article, and they seem like potential options as the next guys in line. Boggs might end up the Cardinals fifth starter, although Dave Duncan seemingly likes him in a relief role. Motte got first crack as Cardinals closer last season, and failed rather obviously. Franklin is the guy going into the season, but his grasp on the closer role is less than dead-bolt. Let's be honest, teams don't talk about backing up a closer unless they assume they might have to do exactly that.

Mike Gonzalez named Orioles closer

Mike Gonzalez learned he will be the Orioles closer from manager Dave Trembley. That means Jim Johnson will be back in his usual setup role in 2010.

"It definitely tells a whole lot about Trembley and the type of man he is," said Gonzalez, who has 54 career saves, including 10 last year with the Atlanta Braves. "Him knowing that I've obviously been there and done that and obviously I know what I signed for, but hearing that from his mouth and the way he spoke obviously speaks wonders for him as a person and as a manager. It's just an extra respect that you get because he actually comes and sits down and has a talk with you and lets you know where things are going."

Trembley said he felt that it was important to make the official announcement early and begin the process of "slotting everybody else in the bullpen accordingly."

Fantasy Impact: Gonzalez was speculated to win the job, and now he has without much if any competition. The Braves entrusted him with the job only as often as the matchups were in his favor, and the lefty got the job done more often than not. We'll have to see if he fares well in save chances against predominantly right-handed hitters. He might not get the save opportunities pitching for a non-contending Orioles team. Johnson certainly won't now that he's back to setting up.

Cold stops Soriano's first TB outing

The guy who is supposed to stop the revolving door as Rays closer fell sick in his first trip to the hill in 2010. Rafael Soriano only has a chest cold.

Manager Joe Maddon said it was "no cause for concern," and that he was impressed Soriano came out on the field at all. Soriano said it was not a big deal, something he'd had before at the start of camp: "I think it was just too cold for me."

Besides, he said, he doesn't need much work in the spring, planning to wait until next week to throw his first bullpen session and working in only 7-8 games. He said he threw a few bullpen sessions before leaving the Dominican Republic and felt "great."

Fantasy Impact: None. Soriano should be ready to go soon, and he's likely to win the Rays closer job as he's getting paid $7.25 million this year to do exactly that.

Branyan signs with Indians, could cause fantasy ripple effect

The Indians landed cornerman Russell Branyan, signing him to a one-year, $2 million deal. He can slug with the best of them - as evidenced by his 31 homers and .520 SLG, but he's only played more than 100 games three times in his 12-year career.

Fantasy Impact: We can only believe Branyan decided to sign with Cleveland because he has a good shot at starting. With Jhonny Peralta at third and Matt LaPorta at first, Branyan could diminish both players' opportunities in 2010. He's certainly a much-needed power source on a team with a lot of offensive question marks. Fantasy owners hoping LaPorta and Peralta could come through with productive seasons will now have to temper their enthusiasm.

If Branyan takes over predominantly at first LaPorta may need to find at bats in left field, which could reduce the impact of youngster Michael Brantley. That becomes abundantly clear if Grady Sizemore ends up the Cleveland leadoff hitter. The again, if Travis Hafner struggles to hit consistently or merely stay healthy, somebody will take over his spot as DH. The sorting will occur over the next six weeks and probably into the regular season.

Feliz as a starter? Wilson, too?

Neftali Feliz will in fact get a look as a starter for the Rangers this preseason, potentially ending immediate interest in his closer-in-waiting status. With Frank Francisco's designs on the closer role, setup man C.J. Wilson looks to earn a shot as a rotation guy, too.

"It's no secret I don't think I should be limited to the set-up role. I have too many weapons," Wilson said. "Here is the reality. It is real simple. There are not very many guys that have the stuff that I do that would be willing to sign here if they were free agents. There is no experienced pitcher that has my stuff that would sign here, historically."

Fantasy Impact: These two setup men are going up against a competitive group of pitchers for the fourth and fifth spots in the Rangers rotation. Texas has more good arms than perhaps ever before. If either Wilson or Feliz makes the rotation, their value can skyrocket to potential breakthrough sleepers.

Reds pitching updates

2008 pitching phenom Edinson Volquez is progressing well from "Tommy John" surgery, but he won't be ready until at least midseason.

Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, who is said to be able to touch 100 mph on the radar gun, has been given a "pitching plan" for the spring, whatever that means. Doesn't everyone have a plan?

The 22-year-old is considered to be a candidate for Cincinnati's final rotation spot along with six other pitchers.

Fantasy Impact: Chapman sounds like a raw thrower who needs to learn to pitch. His spring development will be interesting to follow.

Volquez's situation is intriguing. Many prognosticators believe he'll be able to make an impact down the stretch. Volquez, however, struggled with his command in his breakout 2008 and wore down in the final months of the season. He's talented but raw, and a long layoff may require some time before he's in control of his very good stuff.

Matsuzaka's sore back

Daisuke Matsuzaka is suffering from what the Red Sox hope is a minor upper back problem. The issue started last Friday, and Matsuzaka hasn't resumed working out since. He's scheduled for a spring physical this Friday which could clear him to resume preparing for the 2010 season immediately.

Fantasy Impact: Matsuzaka had already earned sleeper status thanks to his disastrous 2009, a season in which he only starter 12 games and posted four wins to go along with a 5.76 ERA. The World Baseball Classic was blamed, in part, for Matsuzaka's struggles. After an early start to last season or that competition, it appears the Red Sox will baby him through any early issues this spring. No doubt that will scare away fantasy owners thinking he's now completely damaged goods. At age 30 Matsuzaka still slots as a good No. 3 pitcher in fantasy, and if he slips even further in a draft, take him. We're expecting much better things in 2010.

Verducci effect

Tom Verducci's 10 young pitchers at risk of a blowout include Josh Johnson and Felix Hernandez, two guys who had hugely impressive 2009 seasons. Funny that Joba Chamberlain and Max Scherzer made the list. They've already experienced arm troubles.

Dodgers fifth starter candidates

The Dodgers have no less than eight candidates for their fifth starter spot, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. The list includes current and former prospects and major- and minor-league journeymen. Here's our best guess at the initial pecking order this spring:

James McDonald - 26-year-old talent struggled as a starter last year
Scott Elbert - 25-year-old prospect could replace McDonald in bullpen role
Eric Stults - Potential default option, but unimpressive career numbers
Russ Ortiz - Hasn't put together a complete season since winning 15 games in 2004
Charlie Haeger - Knuckleballer with little upside
Carlos Monasterios - Solid minor league control pitcher
Josh Towers - Unlikely candidate who pitched in two games in the majors last year
Ramon Ortiz - Hasn't pitched in the majors since 2007

Fantasy Impact: McDonald looked good out of the Dodgers bullpen last season, but he had rotation written all over him before reaching the majors. You'd expect the Dodgers to take a long look at him this spring. Elbert's injury-plagued past could lessen his chances as a rotation guy, and nobody else exactly jumps off the page. If the youngsters and journeymen struggle, Russ Ortiz or Ramon Ortiz could play caretaker for all or part of the season. The Dodgers should be good in 2010, so the fifth starter could provide some helpful numbers in deeper fantasy leagues. If McDonald or Elbert wins the job, they could be in line for a breakout season. Consider those two sleepers if they make the rotation.

Hanrahan elbow ailing

Pirates reliever Joel Hanrahan will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to check out his ailing throwing elbow. Hanrahan will also visit Dr. James Andrews, which is rarely a good sign. Hanrahan looks like he may miss opening day.

Fantasy Impact: Hanrahan appeared to have an outside chance to beat Octavio Dotel for the Pirates closing job. His chance appears to be shot.

Banking on Blanks

Padres gigantic first-baseman-turned-outfielder Kyle Blanks used the offseason to slim down a bit.

If you haven’t seen No. 8 of late, he’s still fairly easy to find. Yet dietary discipline and workout routine have trimmed Blanks’ 6-foot-6 physique from 288 pounds to, as of yesterday morning, a comparatively compact 273.

He’s still enormous, but plainly leaner. Like one of the Alps after an avalanche.

“He’s not going to be modeling Calvin Klein underwear any time soon,” said Jim Malone, the Padres’ strength and conditioning coach, “(But) When he walked in here a few weeks ago, he looked great. He’s definitely stronger ... probably stronger than he realizes.”

Blanks produced impressive numbers in his first stint in the majors last year, sluging .514 with an OPS of .868 in just 148 at bats.

Fantasy Impact: Blanks needed to slim down for two reasons. First, he needed to get a little lighter on his feet after a bout with plantar fasciitis in 2009. Second, he needed to improve his agility for a potentially full-time opportunity in the Padres outfield. By all accounts, San Diego wants him to succeed.

Offensively, Blanks' impressive numbers - a home run every 14.8 at bats - get that much more impressive when you look back at his offensive production and consistency in the minors. He actually slugged nine points higher at the MLB level than he had in the minors, and while his MLB batting average (.250) lagged behind his minors career mark by .53 points and even his Triple-A average by 33 points, he still showed excellent plate discipline. Blanks reached base at Triple-A last season at an outstanding .393 clip, and while that mark fell to .355 at the MLB level, he still reached base at a mark .105 above his batting average - an improvement over his minor league numbers.

Blanks will still have to prove he can get the job done in left field for the Padres this season, and he's got to put up numbers for a full season. The 42nd round draft pick always outplayed his draft number on his way through the Padres' minor league system, so there's no reason to believe he can't contribute to a fantasy roster. We'll recommend him as a No. 3 outfielder for 2010 who has a chance to produce as a No. 2 with a successful sophomore campaign.

Bergesen's bum shoulder

The Orioles will slow the start of spring training for second-year pitcher Brad Bergesen after Bergesen injured his throwing shoulder in an offseason team commercial.

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said he is not overly concerned about the setback.

"He did too much too soon, which isn't terribly uncommon. And we expect he'll be ready by Opening Day, maybe be a week or so behind in spring training," he said. "So it wasn't something totally alarming to us, if it works out as we anticipate it will."

MacPhail added, however, that the club will monitor such commercial shoots more closely in the future.

"We have already made some adjustments in terms of making sure we have medical personnel or baseball personnel present for anything we do in the future."

Great idea.

Fantasy Impact: Bergesen was slated anywhere from Baltimore's third to fifth starter. He's more polished than youngsters Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman, but he's not as physically gifted. He doesn't have as much experience as Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie, but he had more success in limited action last year. Bergesen's 7-5 record and 3.43 record with just 65 strikeouts in 123 1/3 innings speaks to his ability to pitch. He'll need to be monitored through the spring, but he could emerge as a decent fantasy option if he bounces back from the shoulder injury and the Orioles provide him runs.

Takahashi clouds Mets 5th starter choice

With the Mets close on a deal with Japanese lefty Hisanori Takahashi, their fifth starter slot becomes a bit more complicated. Previously, the Mets had youngster Johnathon Niese and journeyman Fernando Nieve fighting for the final rotation spot. Now Takahashi makes three.

Fantasy Impact: It would appear Niese will get a long look this spring. He suffered a torn hamstring in just his 5th major league start last season but posted a 3.82 ERA and strikeout ratio of 7.8/9 innings in Triple-A at age 22. An injury also ended Nieve's solid 2009 season, where he was 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA. Pedestrian walk and strikeout numbers at both the MLB and minor league levels, however, make him less of an interest than Niese in fantasy play should he win the job this spring.

The New York Times reports Takahashi's numbers as both good and less-good over his career in Japan's Central League, but his makeup is not all that impressive.

He is listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 172 pounds and is said to throw 86 to 90 miles an hour. He has five pitches, all of which he uses at various points in the count to keep hitters off balance, and he does not shy away from challenging hitters.

Soon to be 35, Takahashi signed just a $1M contract that is incentive-laden, which means the Mets are not necessarily expecting to find him in their rotation.

We'll lean on Niese as the likeliest starter of the three, placing our bet on Takahashi to have the upper hand on the spot if the Mets want more of a veteran in the role come opening day. Nieve looks destined for middle relief.

Starting Farnsworth

The Kansas City Royals will be trying Kyle Farnsworth out as a starter in spring training. Farnsworth hasn't thrown regularly in a rotation since his first two seasons with the Cubs. He's turning 34 this season and hasn't reached 100 innings at the big league level since his rookie season.

Fantasy Impact: He's a flier as a starter, at best. Farnsworth actually has a decent shot of sticking in the rotation - not because he's good enough to do it, but because the Royals' starting pitching is lacking enough to consider him. Farnsworth's mid-4 ERA the past several seasons is nothing impressive, but he can help with strikeout totals thanks to a career ratio of better than one per inning. He'll still be an afterthought in most fantasy leagues and is better left undrafted.

Wang to Nationals?

With the Dodgers opting out, there don't seem to be many options for free agent Chien-Ming Wang. It appears the Washington Nationals like their chances of signing the former Yankee.

Fantasy Impact: The Nationals look like they have just two locks for their starting rotation in 2010: John Lannan and Jason Marquis. After the two top, nobody impresses outside of 21-year-old phenom Stephen Stasburg. With those kind of factors in the equation, it's not a reach to project Wang in the top three of the Nationals rotation. He's a good sleeper pick in fantasy, and might be even more solid an option than that. Wang posted solid numbers up to his recent injury-filled 2008 and 2009. If he's healthy, there's no reason to believe in a competitive ERA and WHIP for a fantasy starter. He won't come close to his back-to-back 19-win season with the Yankees, but 10 victories and better-than-average numbers across the board make him a No. 5 starter on any fantasy roster.

2009 MLB Closers

MLB closer report updated 2/10/10 @ 10:22 AM CST

***For 2010, please see 2010 MLB Closers***

------------
List of MLB closers and candidates at the close of the 2009 season. Closers are listed at the top under each team name:

Arizona Diamondbacks:
Chad Qualls - 60-day DL, dislocated left knee cap (August 31)
Juan Gutierrez
Esmerling Vasquez
Clay Zavada (L)

Atlanta Braves:
Rafael Soriano
Mike Gonzalez
Peter Moylan
Eric O'Flaherty (L)

Baltimore Orioles:
Jim Johnson
Danys Baez
Chris Ray
Cla Meredith

Boston Red Sox:
Jonathan Papelbon
Billy Wagner (L)
Takashi Saito
Hideki Okajima (L)

Chicago Cubs:
Carlos Marmol
Kevin Gregg
Angel Guzman
John Grabow (L)

Chicago White Sox:
Bobby Jenks
Matt Thornton (L)
Octavio Dotel
Scott Linebrink
Tony Pena

Cincinnati Reds:
Francisco Cordero
Arthur Rhodes (L)
Nick Massett

Cleveland Indians:
Kerry Wood
Chris Perez
Joe Smith

Colorado Rockies:
Huston Street
Rafael Betancourt
Franklin Morales (L)
Matt Daley
Manny Corpas - 15-day DL, right elbow surgery (might be out for season)
Alan Embree (L) - 15-day DL, fractured right tibia (out for season)

Detroit Tigers:
Fernando Rodney
Brandon Lyon
Bobby Seay (L)
Joel Zumaya - 60-day DL, right shoulder soreness (July 18)

Florida Marlins:
Leo Nunez
Matt Lindstrom
Dan Meyer (L)
Kiko Calero
Scott Proctor - 60-day DL, right elbow surgery (out for season)

Houston Astros:
Jose Valverde
LaTroy Hawkins
Doug Brocail
Jeff Fulchino

Kansas City Royals:
Joakim Soria
Juan Cruz
Kyle Farnsworth

Los Angeles Angels:
Brian Fuentes
Jason Bulger
Kevin Jepsen
Darren Oliver (L)
Scot Shields - 60-day DL, left knee surgery (out for season)

Los Angeles Dodgers:
Jonathan Broxton
George Sherrill (L)
Ramon Troncoso
Guillermo Mota
Hong-Chih Kuo (L)

Milwaukee Brewers:
Trevor Hoffman
Todd Coffey
David Weathers
Mitch Stetter (L)
Mark DiFelice

Minnesota Twins:
Joe Nathan
Matt Guerrier
Jon Rauch
Pat Neshek - 60-day DL, right elbow surgery - out for season
Jose Mijares (L)

New York Mets:
Francisco Rodriguez
J.J. Putz - 60-day DL, right elbow surgery (out for season)
Pedro Feliciano (L)
Brian Stokes
Sean Green

New York Yankees:
Mariano Rivera
Phil Hughes
Brian Bruney
Phil Coke (L)
Damaso Marte (L)

Oakland Athletics:
Andrew Bailey
Brad Ziegler
Michael Wuertz
Santiago Casilla
Joey Devine - 60-day DL, out for season (April 4)

Philadelphia Phillies:
Brad Lidge
-or- Ryan Madson
Brett Myers
J.C. Romero (L) - 15-day DL, strained left forearm (July 23)

Pittsburgh Pirates:
Matt Capps
Joel Hanrahan
Tyler Yates - 15-day DL, right elbow surgery - out for season (May 16)

St. Louis Cardinals:
Ryan Franklin
Jason Motte
Kyle McClellan
Denny Reyes (L)

San Diego Padres:
Heath Bell
Edward Mujica
Luke Gregerson

San Francisco Giants:
Brian Wilson
Sergio Romo
Jeremy Affeldt (L)
Bob Howry
Merkin Valdez

Seattle Mariners:
David Aardsma
Mark Lowe
Sean White
Miguel Batista

Tampa Bay Rays:
Troy Percival - 15-day DL, right shoulder tendinits (May 22)
J.P. Howell (L)
Randy Choate (L)
Dan Wheeler
Grant Balfour
Jason Isringhausen - 60-day DL, torn right elbow ligament (June 14)

Texas Rangers:
Frank Francisco
C.J. Wilson (L)
Eddie Guardado (L)
Neftali Feliz

Toronto Blue Jays:
Jason Frasor
Scott Downs (L)
Brandon League
Jesse Carlson

Washington Nationals:
Mike MacDougal
Sean Burnett (L)
Tyler Clippard
Ron Villone